


Keeping Secrets

by ArraFrost



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, M/M, Palladium Poisoning, Pre-Relationship, spoilers for Iron Man 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-24
Updated: 2012-07-24
Packaged: 2017-11-10 15:39:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/467922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArraFrost/pseuds/ArraFrost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Timeline Mix-up. Tony gets palladium poisoning during the Avengers timeline and Steve finds out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a prompt on tumblr.

“Wake up, Daddy's home.” Tony Stark snapped his fingers with a clap of his hand, alerting Jarvis and the lights of the lab flickered on in sequence.

“ _Welcome back, sir. A successful Avengers conference. May I say I was glad to see you with your clothes on for once.”_

“That, Jarvis, was Captain America's fault. He told me not to wear the suit to the press conference.”

“ _I believe he was referring to the Iron Man suit.”_

“Debatable.” Tony smirked, picking up his glass of... questionable fluid and taking a healthy chug. “How many ounces of this stuff am I taking now Jarvis?”

“ _We're up to eight ounces to counteract the symptoms, sir.”_

Tony clicked his tongue, trying to rid it of the taste of chemicals he was pumping himself with. He brought his hand down, pricking his thumb on the device meant to measure the level of toxins in his blood.

“ _Blood Toxicity at twenty-four percent. Another core has been depleted.”_

This was becoming a problem. He was running through more palladium cores than he'd ever thought and he'd tried every other option but there were no suitable replacements, no element that could hold out as long as palladium. The very thing that was keeping him alive was killing him, and faster than expected.

Pain filled each breath he took as he returned the arc reactor, fresh with a new core that would rot away inside of his body. Each time he removed the arc reactor he could feel the shrapnel claw its way through to his heart, slowly, and each time he put it back, they were hauled back to a safe distance.

Keeping his shirt lifted with his teeth, Tony examined the dangerous blue veins creeping out from around the arc reactor. Initially it had been a little discoloring in his skin surrounding the arc reactor, which Tony thought was perfectly normal before it took on its own design pattern across his chest. He had no doubts that it would spread further if he couldn't figure something out.

“ _Sir, Miss Potts is on her way. If I may suggest perhaps you should inform her of-”_

“Mute.” Tony muttered, dropping his shirt back over his chest just as Pepper gained access to the lab and he downed the rest of his Chlorophyll before she could see what was in the glass.

“Tony, I can't believe you said something like that on national television! And for the Avengers conference!”

“Uh... you know what. I'm busy and you're angry so why don't we do this another time.”

“Captain America is not your private property, Tony.”

“Technically-”

“No. No technicalities. You can't say things like that!” Pepper glowered down at Tony's puppy dog eyes as Tony desperately tried to reach for excuses that they both knew would fail on her. Pepper was one of the few, if not the only person, that Tony couldn't bullshit, even a little bit. Especially when she was angry, disappointed, or unimpressed with Tony Stark... which was generally the case on an everyday basis.

After a moment of staring each other down in silence, Tony attempting his most apologetic expression he could muster and Pepper's steel gaze that wouldn't let anything penetrate her defenses, she sighed, giving up on trying to lecture Tony. It was usually a waste of her energy trying to hammer morals and ethics and typical human empathy into his thick skull.

“Steve's here to see you.”

“Really Pepper? First Agent is Phil and now Captain is Steve? Where do you keep getting these names?”

Pepper exhaled, her eyebrow arching as she simply looked at him.

“Fine, fine. You can give people first names if you really want but I won't tolerate pet names. Unless of course you start making references to Mister Rogers Neighbourhood.”

“Tony.”

“I don't want to see him.” Tony didn't look up from his desk, having busied himself with diagrams and prototypes for improvements on the Iron Man suit. Crumbling one of the designs, he tossed it behind him into a trash can simulation that Jarvis had arranged.

“He wants to talk to you about what you said today. About protocol.”

“I'm sorry, am I supposed to be grateful that the wonderful Captain America talked Director Fury out of giving me an angry phone call in favor of lecturing me about the proper behavior for a soldier? I don't think so.”

“Tony...” Pepper couldn't understand where this sudden anger had come from. Sure they hadn't gotten off on the right foot. In fact they spared immediately after Loki's attack on the city, getting out their aggression that hadn't been settled before they basically went to war. The weeks following, however, he had been almost friendly with the Captain. Yes there were snide remarks and Capsicle was the most common pronoun Tony Stark uttered, but it was done in a joking manner. He mocked his lack of understanding current technology while teaching him how to use it in an almost condescending-free voice. Pepper had even been suspicious of the occasional glances Tony sent Steve when the Captain wasn't looking, or the vaguely flirtatious sentences that slipped off Tony's tongue from time to time.

“He can come back tomorrow around four... maybe I can fit him in.”

“Tony you're scheduled to be in Paris tomorrow.”

“Damn, then I would have just missed him.”

Pepper searched his face, unable to get a read on him. All his emotions were shut down, repressed in that unhealthy box Tony liked to shove them all into and hide away from anyone who actually cared about him.

“I'll make an appointment for him later in the week.”

Tony barely rose an eyebrow in response as he fiddled with the projected designs in his hands, stripping it away of what he found unnecessary. Pepper's heels carried her from the lab and once the door was shut and he was positive she'd ascended the stairs, Tony glanced up to take in the emptiness of his lab. Sighing, he threw the useless designs aside and lifted a hand to his chest, drumming his fingers against the light of the arc reactor.

\- - - - - - - -

Finally being able to escape the noise of the party, Tony slipped away into the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror, eyes tired, face drained of more color than usual. He was exhausted even though he'd barely done anything tonight. Sat at the bar, talking to random people and ignoring most, sitting at corner tables still sipping the drink he'd ordered when he'd first walked in the door. Most people would assume it was the same glass refilled time and time again but no... it was barely half empty and it was already hours into the night.

Tony withdrew his pocket device, placing it on the counter and pressing his thumb to it. Blood toxicity was at fifty-three percent. With a sigh, he loosened his tie, unbuttoning his shirt to get a good look at the pattern that was now close to reaching his shoulders. He would have to start wearing more layers, maybe a nice scarf.

A creak of the door and Tony nimbly buttoned his shirt back up, hiding the effects of the palladium poisoning from the intruder. His eyes widened when Steve Rogers' reflection appeared in the mirror beside him.

“Are you all right?”

“Just getting a little air, Cap.” Tony ignored the concern in Steve's precious blue eyes, instead slapping a smirk over his own lips. “Now, tell me Captain. Do you think it's the redhead or the blonde that's taking you home tonight because they've both been clawing for attention. Soon they'll start clawing at each other, I'm hoping for wrestling with some kind of oil involved.”

The comment didn't faze Steve in the slightest, instead he directed his attention to Tony's drink that he'd left sitting on the counter. It was at that moment Tony realized his device was still on the counter as well and, none-too-subtly he snatched it up, tucking it safely back in his pocket.

Steve eyes narrowed, following the action before rising to lock Tony in an intense gaze that the billionaire couldn't tear himself out of. “Stark, what are you not telling us?”

“You know... I didn't want to come to this party, at all.” He stammered, positively refusing to be consumed by the depths of Steve's eyes.

“I can tell, you barely touched your drink.”

“Well the sixth drink tends to go down slower...”

“That's the only drink you've gotten all night, Tony.” Steve gaze leveled him, staring straight through him.

 _Well shit_. Tony couldn't help but think. Was this another person who could see through his bullshit?

“Your point?” Tony tried for the offensive approach. If he defended himself with anger, maybe he could drive Steve away.

“You made it. Usually you have at least six drinks by now.”

Tony cursed. Nothing was moving the Captain, nothing was getting to him and he'd start to ask questions Tony didn't want to answer.

“Why don't we get out of here?”

This got Steve's attention to falter. His eyes widened in surprise, momentarily forgetting why he was cornering Tony in the first place. “What?”

“You and me. We can ditch this party and... and-uh go to Venice, Cipriani. It's a great place to... be healthy.”

“You want to take me to Venice?” Steve's eyebrows had furrowed in confusion but his eyes sparkled with intrigue and Tony felt him rather than saw him take a step forward.

“Uh... sure why not? Friends give their friends rides in private jets all the time.”

“And why take me? Not Pepper?” Steve was close enough that Tony could feel the warmth radiating off the Captain's body and he had to resist the urge to step into it.

“Well... we've had a mission.” Tony willed his voice to stop shaking but he was having no luck with Steve's close proximity. “We're tired... we can uh... recharge our batteries.”

“Not everybody runs on batteries, Tony.” Steve whispered against Tony's neck and the playboy had to repress the whimper that nearly rolled off his tongue.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. This was Steve Rogers, Captain  _fucking_  America, that didn't know how to be sensual let alone with a man. Yet here he was, and there was Steve's hand resting firmly on Tony's hip... how did that happen?

“Tony... I...” Steve started, his lips so dangerously close to Tony's ear that he could hear the man lick his lips to wet them before trying to speak again.

Everything was going straight through Tony, making his blood boil and his heart race faster. And oh how he wanted Steve's lips to move closer, to send shivers down Tony's spine as he sucked on his earlobe but that couldn't happen. Tony had to stop this before things went to far, before there was someone else to take into consideration.

“Y-y'know. Steve.” Tony backed away, putting distance between himself and the super soldier who stared at him through the building passion with confusion. “This... this has been great and I'd love to stay and chat but I really should get back to the party. There are so many people begging for an interview, a quote, anything Iron Man is willing to give. Public needs me, what can I say? And your girls are probably causing a scene fighting over you so you should probably take care of that.”

Tony didn't so much as inch away as he took off from the bathroom, fixing his tie that Steve didn't even have the opportunity to undo as he exited the door without a glance back.

Steve huffed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands to make him think clearly again. Tony's offer, his nervousness, his stammering, his cologne. It was all too much for Steve and he probably made it too much for Tony in that moment as well. Sighing, he picked up Tony's glass from the counter, swirling the liquid around in the cup as he contemplated his next move, hoping he wouldn't scare the genius away again.

\- - - - - - - -

Tony was slumped over in his convertible car, half asleep to the sounds of news playing on the screen in front of him. Like his own personal drive-in theatre inside his lab only without the popcorn that Tony could easily have made. Instead of instructing Dummy to do that, however, Tony decided this would be a good opportunity to nap in peace without distraction.

“Tony... Tony!” A gentle yet urgent voice brought the slumbering man back to reality where everything was bright and harsh on his senses.

Tony merely rolled his head over, taking in the blurry silhouette of Captain America standing next to his car, inside his secure lab. Jarvis... Tony grumble to himself. The damn A.I. was going soft on him. Instead of bitching, however, Tony decided in his groggy, sleep deprived mind on a better, more pleasant course of action. Reaching over, nearly falling across the seats, Tony opened the door to the passenger seat.

“Join me, oh Captain my Captain.”

Steve watched him suspiciously before making his way to the other side of the car, sidling up to Tony and closing the door behind him.

“You missed the meeting this afternoon, Tony.” Steve went straight to business but his voice was softer than his usual lecturing tone which was nice, Tony thought.

“My bad...” He muttered, barely fighting the irresistible urge to fall back to sleep.

“Tony. You can't just skip out on important meetings like this. What if we'd been sent on a mission and couldn't contact you because you were too busy taking a catnap?”

Steve voice was starting to sound more commanding, more irritated with Tony and... he didn't find that as nice. To counteract the change in tone, Tony's brain came up with the brilliant plan of leaning against Steve's shoulder rather than the leather upholstery of the car. It shocked Steve enough that Tony felt his body stiffen beside him, before he finally relaxed and lifted his arm to wrap around Tony's shoulders, pulling him closer.

Under normal, more conscious circumstances... Tony might have had the common sense to pull away, to get out of the car and avoid Steve but his body was so warm and inviting. He was perfectly cozy and Tony had no intentions of moving away. He snuggled closer, resting his hand on Steve's chest as he allowed his breathing to level out.

“Tony...” Steve whispered, the anxiety, the restraint, the desire from the other night flooding back into his voice. A chill ran down Tony's spine from the combination of that voice and the circles Steve was caressing into Tony's shoulder.

Tony sighed, shifting closer into Steve's touch, into his welcoming body, not noticing as Steve's hand began exploring the exposed skin around his neck that his t-shirt was unable to hide.

“Tony?” That was a different voice. That was a voice of shock, confusion, concern and a little hint of terror.

Instantly Tony's eyes flew open and he flung his body to the other side of the car and out of Steve's grip. It inadvertently caused the world to start spinning again but it was the quickest way to get out of this situation.

“What... what is that?”

“What is what?” Tony feigned innocence, trying to focus his eyes on at least one of the many Steves floating about his vision.

“On your neck... it looks like-”

“Road rash.” The genius spat out quickly and dismissively, hoping the nonchalant attitude would suffice but this was Steve Rogers, Tony was forgetting. He was slowly becoming another Pepper that Tony couldn't read or hide from, only more problematic.

Steve's eyes narrowed as Tony fumbled for the handle of the door, trying to get out. “Looks more like a high tech crossword puzzle.”

Tony shook his head, finally getting the door open only to nearly fall out. Steve was across the car in no time, helping to pick the genius back up, wrapping Tony's arm around his shoulders. “Tony what's wrong, what can I do?”

The Captain sounded almost panicked and as much as that showed he cared, it wasn't helping Tony's nerves. “Just... my desk. Get me over to my desk.”

With Steve's helped, they reached the desk and Tony struggled out of his arms and into his chair, leaning back in exhaustion. “Take... take the arc reactor out.” He breathed, catching Steve's worried eyes before the Captain did as he was told, lifting Tony's shirt, pausing only to caress his hands across the extensive and painful looking pattern that covered Tony's body.

“Press that...” Tony barely pointed but Steve got the gist and the pallanium core presented itself. Without having to be told, Steve took out the core, gasping when he saw the damage to the small piece of material.

“You had this in your body?”

Tony didn't answer, he was fumbling with the box of pallanium cores, picking one up and handing it to Steve, who took it and replaced it within the arc reactor. Tony didn't ask for the arc reactor back, he simply took it from Steve's hands, placing it firmly back into position, slapping it as things started to work properly once again.

“Tony, you need help.”

“I'm fine.” He gasped, resting his head on his desk for a breath.

“No, you're not.” A firm hand on Tony's shoulder told him that Steve was not going to let his drop. To this Tony grumbled but offered no form of protest. “S.H.I.E.L.D. could help you.”

“Help me what, Steve?” Tony rose his head, pushing hard against Steve's hand but he could tell Steve lifted his hand and allowed him to sit up. Otherwise Tony wouldn't have been a match, especially in his weakened state. “There's nothing else, I've looked! I've tried every known element and there's nothing to replace the pallanium core. It'll keep rotting and I'll... well...”

Tony sighed in frustration, lifting his thumb to press into the device that had been left on the desk. Instantly the screen in front of them lit up with statistics and on the corner, his blood toxicity level showed to be at eighty-nine percent.

“Tony... it's killing you.”

The tone of Steve's voice made his heart clench, his eyes... those sad eyes drew him in and Tony could only nod silently as he contemplated losing himself in the soft blue color.

“Ask Director Fury if he knows anything that could help.”

“He won't.”

“Please, Tony. Just try.” Tony was about to shake his head once more and disagree when Steve added, “For me.” And he wasn't sure when those two words had made such a convincing argument.

“Okay.”

\- - - - - - - - - -

“Where is he?” Steve growled into Director Fury's ear, eyes angry as he hadn't seen Tony for days after driving him to S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. Natasha had injected him with something that made the pattern go away but they said it was only short term. Then Tony disappeared, they sent him away and wouldn't tell Steve where he'd gone.

“Captain, I need you to stop yelling in my ear.” Director Fury's voice was calm and level but strict and the irritation was clear in his eye.

Steve sighed, settling back into a less confrontational stance. “I'm sorry, sir. But it's been days... and-”

“Tony Stark will return when he's ready.”

“But sir-”

“Until then, Agent Coulson will be monitoring him. He's in good hands, Cap. You don't have to worry about him.”

Steve opened his mouth to argue further but Fury was already walking away from him. Steve knew that Phil would look after Tony but... this was ridiculous. No contact... at all? He couldn't visit him, phone him, nothing. He just wanted to see him face... to know that he was healthy and breathing and that he wouldn't die.

\- - - - - - -

“Do you know what this is?” Phil Coulson picked up a familiar old scrap from Tony's past. A memento his father had kept, something to remind him of the man he spent years trying to fish out unsuccessfully from the bottom of the sea.

Phil passed the shield to Tony and he stared down at it with longing, hand gently sweeping over the details. But Tony wasn't a sentimentalist and instead he placed it underneath one of the many pipes taking over the space of his lab, making it perfectly level. If he wanted to get out of here at one hundred percent, he had to get this done, and then he wouldn't need a keepsake anymore.

\- - - - - - - -

The knock on Steve's apartment door startled him. It was nearly midnight, why would someone be at his door this late? The person on the other side of the door, however, surprised him much greater than the time.

The smirk of Tony Stark was staring him right in the face, with a healthy color returned to his face and a significant lack of puzzling patterns taking over his neck.

“Tony? Are you... how are you?”

Tony didn't answer right away, instead holding Steve's gaze as he drummed his fingers lightly against the faint light of the arc reactor shining through his black dress shirt. “Right as rain. New element discovered and all chances of poisoning gone.”

Nothing could stop the relief that rushed through Steve as the heavy pressure that had burdened him since that night in Tony's lab was lifted.

“You know Cap, if I didn't know any better... I'd think you were worried about me.”

“Of course I was worried!” Steve exclaimed, nearly glaring at the smug look on Tony's face. “You were dying!”

The outburst didn't affect Tony and his grin spread wider across his lips. “I think you like me.”

“I-” Steve stammered as he tilted his head, finally realizing that Tony wasn't teasing to be an ass this time. “I'd think that would be obvious.”

Tony licked his lips as Steve returned his grin with a bright smile that spread to his eyes, those beautifully expressive eyes that Tony could drown in.

Without invitation, Tony advanced and Steve stepped back to allow him entrance into his apartment. As Tony closed the door behind him, he made up his mind that drowning in those gorgeous blue eyes was exactly what he wanted to be doing.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit my [Tumblr](http://arrafrost.tumblr.com/)


End file.
